Historic lighthouse in Istanbul reopened after works

ISTANBUL

A historic lighthouse located in Istanbul’s far northeast has been reopened following comprehensive restoration works.
Commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I and constructed in 1859 by French engineers, the lighthouse overlooking the Black Sea from the northern slopes of the Turkish metropolis had been non-stop in service until August 2020.

The one-and-a-half-year long restoration works have been finally completed and the symbolic lighthouse was reopened with a ceremony in participation with Turkey’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu, local officials and residents.

Karaismailoğlu stated that 493 lighthouses, 41 of which are historical, are being restored, maintained and repaired.
The Minister also noted that the restorations of the historic lighthouses of Ahırkapı on the southern coast of Istanbul and in the Marmara province of Yalova are in the process of being completed.

The masonry lighthouse was built on a cliffy point at Cape Şile about 1 km northeast of the district and the 19-meter-tall tower with a gallery around the lantern room has the form of an octagonal prism.

Initially, the lighthouse was lit by kerosene, however the light source was later replaced by Dalén light using carbide. Since 1968, it runs on electricity.

The flashing is achieved by eight rotating panels that are still set in motion by a weight-driven mechanism inside the tower using anchor escapement.

2010 was the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of the lighthouse. For this purpose, celebrations organized by the local municipality were held with the participation of thousands of people mostly from districts and villages on Istanbul’s Asian side.